Gatherings like this have become very rare for me, so I can say this one felt especially personal. My main takeaway: take care of yourself and remember there are people who care — and that brings joy.
I really enjoyed just lying down and being silent. Moments like that are so rare in my life — there’s always somewhere to rush to, or fear of explosions or air raid alerts…

I can’t say I felt strong support during the event, because I was mostly worried about the people I had invited. But when the event began, I felt a deep warmth seeing familiar faces — Yulia and Sonya, Grisha, and others from the seminars we attended together. It’s a wonderful feeling to know people are happy to see you.

Realizing that many people are going through similar things gave me a sense that I’m not alone in fighting — whether for something or against something (usually myself). It reminded me that we’re just people trying to act with integrity and do our best.
It was really fun. At first, it felt awkward doing the exercises where we had to lie on the floor and stay silent — it was hard to do that calmly. But eventually, it felt special. I love people, and welcoming them into my home was especially meaningful, especially knowing it’s also doing some good.